PARIS: FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke on Monday defended the world body’s “political” decisions to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 event to Qatar.
“It’s a political decision to open up onto the world. It was the same thing with (2010) hosts South Africa,” said Valcke. “We have eight years till Russia hosts it with a huge commitment on the part of (Prime Minister Vladimir) Putin and 12 for Qatar, who have huge resources,” said Valcke in response to questions as to the technical merits of the two countries, which FIFA did not find to be on the same level as, for example, those of 2018 candidate England.
Valcke admitted that “as regards the heat in Qatar, the fears are legitimate but there will be air conditioning systems. Qatar will do everything necessary so that nothing is to the detriment of either the players or anyone else.
“Russia deserves it and Qatar will be an interesting story. The Middle East is part of the football family,” indicated Valcke. Regarding allegations of corruption at the heart of FIFA Valcke said the game’s governing body had “reacted immediately” to the Sunday Times revelations by suspending two members of its executive committee amid allegations of bribery. Valcke stressed that the BBC investigation – which was broadcast just days before the vote – into another three committee members was “reheated stuff which belongs on the history channel. “Legally, the matter is closed,” he said, alluding to a previous Swiss legal investigation a decade ago.
